Brief case



ug., V6, 1,935. w. FINKELSTEIN BRIEF CASE Filed Sept. 8, 1952 INVENTOR. MVA/'dm Hilke/smh Jak ATTRNEY.

Patented Aug. 6, 1935:

'UNH-ED STATES PATEN-T-0FF1QE*f1 f I RrEF CASE Wiliam' Finkelstein, Philadelphia, Pa.

- s a nppneanon september e, .1932; serial*i\r-.'s'ez,1`1e ll i' [taciaimspwriso-Lei j My finve'ntion relates tol a device for lcarrying smallA articles,` suchas books, catalogs, -legal papers, andY various lother articles andrelates particularly to; a flat carrying 4case generally known as a brief case; Y

ALVThe typeof briefcases in `general 'use` today i'snotV supported at its edges and with continued use the sides become distorted or twisted; Also, due Vto the lack of suitable supports afforded the bag the 'stitching holding `the segments together open upon continued use. y Inthe event reinforcing means are utilized at the corners of the brief case an extra row of stitching must be made and the ends of the case are not protected. With thel present type of reinforcing means Vupon the wearing away of the leather retainer, the briefy caserrnust be discarded.

It is,`v therefore; an object of my invention to utilize a combination reinforcing frame and a protector for the edges of the brief case.

Another object of my invention is to have the brief case stitching pass directly through the edge protector, to which the more rigid supporting frame is attached.

A further object of my invention is to employ a frame which rigidly supports the brief case even when the leather covering for the reinforcement is completely worn.

With the above objects in View my invention consists of a brief case having a reinforcement comprising an enveloping member enclosing a thin flexible section to which is more rigidly fastened a strengthening bar. A single row of stitching passes through one end of the enveloping member, through the thin flexible metal and also through the ends of the leather brief case, whereby the ends of the enveloping member, the ends of the brief case and one end of the nexible section of metal are virtually in the same plane.

Other objects of my invention are to provide an improved device of the character described, that is easily and economically produced, and which is sturdy in construction.

With the above and related objects in view, my invention consists in the following details of construction and combination of parts, as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in Which:-

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a brief case embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detail View of my frame structure;

VFigure 3 is a fragmentary sectional viewshowlV ing themanner.l of embedding the reinforcing frame structure; t V M Figurei shows a modified reinforcing frame structure; i Y l Figure 5 shows the positioning of the reinforcement at the outer sides of the-front piece; and

Figure 6 is another modification off the; rein.- forcing frame structure, with the hol'estherethrough for stitching. 1 c

Referring in greater detail to the drawing, in Fig. l I show afbrief case, generally designated as that includes -a front wall, portion i0 `and a rear wall portion I2 together with sideelements or gussetscooperatively defining apoclret between the rear andfront wall portions. The rear-por-` tion l2 carries a flap. I4 atits upper end'adapted to' be folded over a portion of the face off the forward portion IU, and the' iiap'is Secured to the front wall by a lock l5. An ordinary handle i8 and straps 20 also may be used. Generally lthe vertically extending and the bottom edges of the front and rear walls I0 and l2 of the case are connected by a series of gussets 22 and 23, the latter being connected to the ends of the front and rear wall portions, and a partition or compartment divider 24, of substantially the same size and located parallel to and adjacent the front wall or front cover member I0, serves to divide the pocket of the case into a series of compartments.

In the construction of the conventional brief case the gussets are usually formed by appropriately bending a single length of leather or equivalent fabric, but in the event it is desired to reinforce the outer edges of the gussets, each gusset is formed of a separate piece of leather.

The means for reinforcing the edges of the brief case, which I prefer to utilize, comprises a suitable rectangular frame section 26 of metal or fibre, of a certain degree of flexibility, having a more rigid frame section 28, either welded thereto or otherwise suitably attached. The edges of the frame strips 26, 28 are joined so that their marginal edges are substantially in the same plane. Both strips are encased by a thin sheet of leather or paper 33, to improve the appearance and, also, to prevent any undue sharp edges of the reinforcing means.

As best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the enveloping covering 3B together with its embedded reinforcements 26 and 28, which I shall designate generally as the reinforcement B is disposed at the vertical edges and the horizontal edges of the front and rear cover members of the brief case.

The reinforcement B has an outside bead 32 disposed between the front section l0 and one end of the gusset 22, with the bead 32 projecting in the same plane as the outer extremities of the gusset 22 and the front Wall IU. 'Ihe reinforcement B may be pasted in position and additionally secured by a row of stitches 34.

A reinforcement is also provided at one of the edges of each of the gussets 22 and 23, and an edge of the partition member 24 is positioned between the reinforcement B and the edge of the gusset 23. 'I'he row of stitches 34 passes through one of the edges of each of the gussets 22 and 23, and through the edge of the reinforcement as Well as through the partition. The bead 32 of the reinforcement B projects in substantially the same plane as the outer edges of the gussets and so offers an effective buffer to any impact. Thus, in a preferred embodiment of my invention, the front wall has a resilient frame firmly enclosed at its edges and concealed by the leather enclosed piece, this frame resisting distorting strains and so tending to retain the front portion of the brief case in proper shape at all times. The reinforcement frames on the rear Wall also aid to prevent distortion of the brief case.

The transverse edges of the flap I4 may be reinforced as at 36, with a reinforcing member comprised only of a resilient member such as 26.

As a modification I may use a fibre or metal resilient member 26A, as illustrated in Fig. 4, having a groove 38 therein so that a bar 28A will form a rectangular bar with the resilient member. A machine (not shown) punches a series of holes through the resilient member 26A prior to the passing of the stitching thread therethrough.

In Fig. 6 I show a strengthening and edge protector comprised of a single strip having holes 40A therein, this being another modification of my reinforcing member.

A brief case manufactured as above described, is sturdy, rugged, and durable in use. It is less apt to become distorted and the edges of the brief case are less subject to injury by impact with other articles.

Obviously, in some instances I may reinforce the front and rear sections of the case, or I may reinforce only the front and rear sections of the flap Without reinforcing the gussets, or vice versa.

Although this invention has been described in considerable detail, such description is intended as illustrative rather than limiting as the invention may be variously embodied, and the scope of the invention is to be determined as claimed.

I claim:-

1. In a brief case having a front Wall and a rear wall; one or more gussets adjacent the edges of each of said Walls; means for reinforcing the brief case located between each wall and the next adjacent gusset inwardly from the edges of each wall and the gusset, said means comprising a thin flexible metal sheet, a rigid metal bar attached to said sheet; a covering for said sheet and said bar; and a single row of stitching passing through one of the Walls, the sheet and one edge of the gusset.

2. In a case comprising substantially parallel front and rear Walls, means for reinforcing the case comprising a thin flexible sheet, a bar of greater rigidity than the iiexible sheet connected to one side of said sheet, and a covering enveloping said sheet and bar, said flexible sheet positioned so that an edge thereof is in substantially 'n the same piane as the edge of said front and rear walls and a row of stitching passing through one of the walls and also the flexible sheet.

WILLIAM FINKELSTEIN. 

